Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-08-27
A cENrENARIAN OF THE PRESS

The current number of the Magazine
of American History, says the Chicago
Herald, records the interesting fact
that, one hundred years ago, August
IL, 1887, was issued the first news
pape printed west OF the Allegheny
mountains, the Kentucky Gazette, Of
Lexington. The Blue Grass state was
then a district or county OF Virginia
but for the space of two years It's val
orous citizens had longed for state
hood. The establishment of the Ga
zette was, indeed, a cane .er in that
direction, for IN a convention held at
Danville in 1885 a resolution was
adopted setting forth that. "to insure
unanimity in the opinion OF the people
respecting the propriety of separating
the District Of Kentucky from Virginia
and forming a separate state govern
ment, and to give publicity TO the pro-
ceedings of the convention, tits deemed
essential to the interests Of the country
to have a printing press"
Acting upon the Instructions of this
convention, one John Bradford went
forthwith TO Philadelphia to purchase
material for the establishment Of this
the first ''organ" in the western
world. The way was n long one.
going and coming, and the dangers
manifold. The route back lay over
land, from Philadelphia to Pittsburg,
and thence down the Ohio to Mays
vile, where pack-horses were i'm
pressed for the land journey to Licking
ton. Not many of these animals were
required, as may be surmised. When
Bradford bad at len"th brought his
precious load TO its destination, it was
found that AL the type was pied and
the rest of the outfit badly discon-
certed. The press was a thing Of
beauty, with a theoretical capacity of
seventy-five sheets an hour. The
editor put forth his initial issue after
infinite labor, having himself composed
this apology to the public:
Ny customers win excuse this, my first pub
l~ication, rs l am much hurried to get an i'm
preston by the tine appointed.
The Gazette declared for Jackson
and against Clay in the campaign
which shortly ensued; but between
Bradford and Clay there was a strong
personal friendship. which asserted
itself often. Both were fon3 of cards
and gambled nightly. Bradford lost
$4,000 to Clay in a single sitting.
The next day, when he came to settle,
he said:
"Clay, what are you going to do about that
money You wen last nightg My entire prop.
erty won't pay the half o! it.' Clay's reply
was: "Give me your note for $500 and LET
the balance 60" The note was given, bat a
few nights later Bradford came out the win
ner Of goo, coo. Nearly the anne converse,
ton occurred between them as on the prev.
Gus occasion, and Brad ord settled the mat,
ter this time by f%ayiug: ooh, give me back
my note for $500 aud wt'n call II square"
The Lexington of those days was the
commercial center of the west, to
which st. Louis, Cincinnati and all the
surrounding country were tributary,
It's wholesale marts disbursed goods
through all the region round, and its
merchants were magnates and THEN
wives the queens of fairyland 10 the
gaping counrryman. Fate, in {
hundred years shifted the center Of
population and importance-fate shifts
all human standards and centers in due
time. New rivals sprang up about and
oined the rest in dismantling the Did
royalty of his wealth, roObing him OF
it's power. The country over which
Bradford and Clay and 'Oid Hickory
trod in the exuberance of their
mastery is now pleasant,
sequestered region where swift
horses are bred and men are merry
and women beautiful. They pay their
tribute now to another power, which
in the mad race of events surpassed
them, or, perhaps, grew up in their
paths and choked their growth. So
are the high places given to the lowly
and the mighty dragged down by that
laughing, soothing, relentless monster,
time.
If the times have changed and the
country blossoms with the fruits Of
progress, what shall be said Of TIVE
western press, which thus took its
humble origin a hundred years ago?
Waat was oov. SOW is legion. It's
voice has scared away the noises Of a
primitive civil IA -ieu; its foot is
planted every IS he,e, The press is The
bride of civiliZ Il o..
UTho,nh n, -, hv, s.... navs b. IN.